The Journal of Justice: Volume 1, Issue 04
Alliance in Freljord ;League champions unite against the threat of war Quinton Groat reporting from Rakelstake, Freljord An announcement made this afternoon by Princess , has left all of Freljord anxiously abuzz, as she has accepted 's offer to join forces with the barbarians. Two weeks ago, Tryndamere, the Barbarian King, arrived in the region to pay respects to Mauvole, the deceased princess of the Ice Dervish tribe. He and Ashe met afterward for reasons unknown. There was speculation that he and his clan arrived to deter Princess from taking any aggressive action, as she had retreated to isolation in what many feared was preparation for war. Tryndamere's visit was not an entirely selfless venture, but rather for the negotiation of a mutually beneficial opportunity. Ashe elaborated on the matter in her speech: "We stand at the threshold of a momentous occasion for our people. After generations of conflict, two of our illustrious tribes have united under a single banner, reconciling differences that date back to the Time of the Three Sisters. While we desire nothing more than to discover common ground upon which our third sister-tribe will ally with us, a matter of greater urgency has arisen. Tryndamere, the Barbarian King, arrived recently to request sanctuary for his people within the boundaries of Freljord. They seek refuge from Noxian forces which even now encroach on our doorstep, claiming that they do so only as part of their 'Barbarian Pacification Campaign.' I am too aware of the imperialist Noxian mentality to be fooled by such hollow justifications." "Though our relations with the nomadic barbarian tribes have often been tenuous, this is the time to relinquish old grudges. This is the time for us to assert our place in Valoran. As the leader of the Frost Archer and Ice Dervish tribes, I have chosen to grant Tryndamere and all barbarians asylum within our lands. I ask you to welcome them as your own. Tryndamere has, in turn, offered his appreciable barbarian army to defend and assist our tribes against any enemy, be they foreign or domestic. Together, we will steer the path of Freljord, sure as the mountains guide the glacier, to its rightful place alongside the mightiest civilizations of Runeterra." Her speech was met with resounding support by the members of her two tribes. The formidable barbarian forces will make any violent response from the Winter's Claw risky at best, as their numbers dwarf those of all three tribes combined. Sejuani, Princess of the Winter's Claw, could not be reached for comment. The League representative for Noxus also declined to comment, promising that an official response was coming soon. For the people of the Freljord, this is a daring move, as they have remained cautiously neutral with regard to foreign affairs in the past. When questioned about her bold stance, Ashe had only this to say: "This is only the beginning." Mogron Pass Security Garrison Assaulted ;Unknown bandits south of the Great Barrier attack League security post Bob Nashahago reporting from Mogron Pass A League security garrison within Mogron Pass is reporting that it was attacked by what are assumed to be bandits coming from south of the Great Barrier. The attack occurred two days ago during a late night watch of the mountainous corridor that separates the northern, civilized half of Valoran from the mostly unexplored and dangerous southern half. Though the garrison successfully repelled the attack, the report indicates one defender was killed and three others injured in the nighttime assault. While the report also states that a number of the attackers were slain, no bodies were recovered after the assault. The motive behind the assault remains a mystery; the manner of the attack, however, is not. Unidentified hooded humanoids in light armor wielding short blades, some using obfuscation magic, launched a surprise frontal assault on the garrison. League forces immediately responded to the threat thanks mainly to the efforts of the slain soldier, Corporal Alfonse B. Flavin, as his early warning of the attack provided the defenders time to prepare. The defenders reported seeing a small number of attackers making their way north past the garrison in the heat of battle. Upon seeing this, the garrison readied itself for a potential flanking maneuver, but none ever came. The assailants took heavy casualties as the element of surprise quickly wore off and the garrison vigorously defended its strategic position. The attackers were forced to retreat, but successfully pulled all of their casualties off the battlefield. While assaults by bandits or other malfeasants are not uncommon around Mogron Pass, especially south of the Great Barrier, the attack on a League garrison is a first since the League began positioning security garrisons along the Pass. Captain Barlo Warrax, commander of the League security outpost, commented on the brazenness of the attack. "We’ve dealt with a number of lowlifes who prey on people traveling through the Pass, but this is the first time that these scumbags have dared to challenge us within our own garrison. Well, we showed them who was in charge of Mogron Pass." Warrax went on to explain the current situation along Mogron Pass as troublesome. "Ever since this Kalamanda thing blew up, we’ve seen all sorts of idiots marching down through here thinking that going south of the Great Barrier is a fun hike. Well, it ain’t! There’s a reason all these merchant caravans have an armed escort with them. It’s because it’s dangerous!" Warrax strongly advised caution for amateur explorers planning on venturing south of the Great Barrier. "Don’t be a moron. Stay home. We’re a well-armed military force, and we lost a good soldier defending ourselves. How well do you think you’ll do? Will there even be enough left to identify you when these heathens are done with you?" The League has promised to immediately reinforce the garrison with troops currently stationed in Kalamanda as part of an ongoing research project. Furthermore, the League issued a general statement advising the people of Valoran to exercise good judgment if traveling south of the Great Barrier. The Magic Within Song ;Sona’s Ionian debut stuns audience Reira Kashuld reporting from the Serene Garden, Ionia It doesn’t take a connoisseur of music to truly appreciate the night I recently experienced underneath the Great Tree within Ionia's Serene Garden. Still, it can be hard to grasp just how a single person can charm an entire crowd without saying a single word! It was a full house within the Serene Garden Amphitheater for yesterday’s performance by the gifted Demacian musical prodigy known as – one that ended with an accordant standing ovation. Sona performed six of her most acclaimed arias, and she delighted the crowd with an encore, debuting an unexpected seventh. This breathtaking piece, "The ", inspired feelings of spiritual resilience, challenging us, her captive audience, to overcome the struggles in our lives and rise above our self-imposed limitations. For Ionians, the uplifting chorus felt as though the music was compelling us to reach out and touch enlightenment itself... even if only for a moment. Each composition painted its own story. Every chord struck and every string plucked drew me in to the music. I could understand and feel every note. For those who haven’t been following Sona, she is the rising star of Demacia’s music scene. She has gained quite a following throughout the world ever since her royal command performance last year during Demacia’s "Lightshield Music Concert Series". Even obtaining a ticket to one of her concerts is a quest. An amazing fact about the young musician – she is completely mute! That is virtually irrelevant, as her music gives her a voice few could ever dream of. You don’t have to take my word for it; you can see Sona yourself... if you can scrape together enough coin for the scalpers. But that’s a small price to pay for a lifetime memory, not to mention a taste of enlightenment, isn't it? Champions: Inside and Outside the League ;A behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the League’s champions Bob Nashahago reporting from the Institute of War Believe it or not, your favorite champions have lives outside of the Fields of Justice! You would be surprised at what some of Valoran's most famous heroes do in their off-hours. That's what this new recurring feature of the Journal of Justice will profile: the lives of the League's finest once they leave the battle arenas. All of our staff will be contributing over the coming months as we profile each and every League champion! Morgana, the Fallen... Baker? When , the League's otherworldly winged witch, isn't causing havoc in the Fields of Justice, she leads quite a different life. Morgana trades her spells for a stirring spoon while serving as both the proprietor and master baker at Sinful Succulence, her always-busy bakery located in the heart of Noxus’ merchant district. Morgana's magical muffins are all the rage, with orders coming in from as far away as Demacia. "I've spent a great deal of time refining the recipes I remember from my homeland, as well as mastering the ones I’ve learned here," Morgana said while displaying her latest culinary masterpiece: Isomalt’s Peccable Pecan Pie. "While I may be focused on freeing my people from the tyranny wrought by the likes of my expletive sister, ... there's always room for pie," Morgana added. While Sinful Succulence only has a single storefront in Noxus, the success Morgana's bakery has enjoyed is allowing her to expand. Two new bakeries are planned for Zaun and the Institute of War, both of which are scheduled to open at the beginning of next year. The next time you’re in Noxus, make sure to stop by and grab yourself a tasty treat! Flames for Your Wagon The city-state of Piltover is the leading center of ecologically-minded techmaturgical and magical research in Valoran. If you are looking for the latest crazy gadget to give your ride that extra get-up-and-go (that won’t shatter the planet into a billion bits in the process), then look no further than Piltover Customs. The proprietor and chief mechanic of the most successful transportation customization and modification enterprise in the City of Progress is none other than . "In between my time in the League and my duties with the Screaming Yipsnakes, I like to mess around under the hood of all sorts of vehicles!", Corki explained as he gave a special tour of the workshop he and his crew of technicians use to make some of the most radical conversions you’ve ever seen. "Most of the mods we do are for caravan wagons – adding armor plates or creating slits for archers inside the wagon. Every once in a while, we’ll get to work on an order for some really over-the-top stuff – state of the art hextech. That’s where the real fun is!" For Corki’s tougher assignments, he will often turn to his comrade-in-arms . A number of their more interesting contraptions are on permanent display in the Yordle Academy of Science & Progress, which is located in Piltover. A trip to the City of Progress is not worth talking about unless you spend some time checking out the latest gizmos that Corki and company have put together. The Yordle Academy of Science & Progress will grant tours nearly every day of the week, while Piltover Customs will provide tours by special request only. The Mailbag of Justice ;The Editor-in-Chief answers Valoran’s most pressing questions! Senior Summoner Ralston Farnsley commenting from the Institute of War Letters from all across Valoran keep pouring in, and the Journal of Justice prospers as a result. Again, we thank our readers and patrons for their kind words. One particular piece of feedback I found interesting was the idea of featuring more athletic-oriented articles on the events inside the Fields of Justice. I couldn’t agree more; not only do the battle arenas serve us in a geopolitical sense, but they also make for rousing entertainment! I believe we have found one of the most knowledgeable and respected individuals when it comes to the analysis of battle arena performance to write for the Journal. You shall see his debut article in an upcoming issue of the Journal. Now – on to the mail! ---- "I would like this question to be forwarded to Tryndamere: where did you get your sword? I am assuming that you built it with your own bare hands, but perhaps it was a gift. Did someone give that sword to you because it was too dangerous to go alone?" -- 2xHero Tryndamere was kind enough to oblige with a reply: "My late father gave me the sword I now wield. My father’s father gave it to him, as did his father before him. As a boy, I was curious about the sword, much as you are now. I remember his words well: ‘Master using it and you can have this.’ Mastering it requires more than just physical strength: strength of mind and strength of character are also needed. I must exercise all three, especially now in these trying times." ---- "Do you think anti-yordle sentiment exists in Noxus? I for my part can't see any reason for expelling the yordles." -- Zedek I often think there’s anti-everyone-except-Noxus sentiment in Noxus. The nefarious city-state prides service and loyalty in its subjects. While I think Noxians naturally gravitate toward each other, I don’t think they care the shape or size of the individual giving them what they seek. They worship power above everything else, and those who are able to acquire it above anyone else. They’re a natural foil for the "justice-at-any-cost" Demacians. Their rivalry has really shaped the direction of Valoran for the past 150 years, and to a certain extent helped bring about the creation of the League (despite their best efforts otherwise). ---- "What is so legendary about Icathia? Why do so many explorers go there, risking their lives?" -- Delong I would guess the pursuit of knowledge drives most explorers south of the Great Barrier, and the pursuit of fabled riches drives the rest. Of all the lands in southern Valoran, however, Icathia is one we know virtually nothing about. The past five Rune Wars did much to destroy whatever civilization existed there before our current enlightened age. Other than fanciful tales that are likely the product of a bard drinking copious amounts of wine, we really do not have any credible historical facts to work with. Any scholar of note will tell you that our historical records are woefully inadequate. With League champions such as , , and claiming to originate from Icathia, we are forced to face our true lack of knowledge. I do know one thing – when three beings exist in the League from a place we know nothing about, we had better start learning about it as quickly as possible. References de:The Journal of Justice: Jahrgang 1, Ausgabe 04 zh:正义期刊: 第 1 卷, 第 04 期 Category:The Journal of Justice Issues, Volume 1